Five Ways to Prepare for The Biggest Move of Your Life

Approaching my early 20’s, life has been exciting, adventurous, and very, very… sheltered. Yes, growing up in suburbia hasn’t presented many dangers; however, if there is one aspect I am prepared for, it’s the exhilarating rush of moving to a new city. For filmmaking, my current city isn’t exactly ideal. Of course, every aspiring filmmaker craves, let’s just say… the fast paced, opportunistic city of Los Angeles. The cat’s out of the bag, the city of angels is the Promised Land for the next generation of filmmakers. Although, wherever life may take you in the next few years of chasing your career, here are five ways to prepare for the big move.

-Mentally prepare for change and adaptation

Hate to be obvious with this one, but this is an important step to moving to an entirely foreign place. Being prepared to meet new and unique people can invite more opportunity into your life. Often times being in a big city can be lonely and push you into a desolate place in your own mind; this feeling is something that needs to be fought. Being outgoing and curious in your new city is what will allow you to grow most. They say doing the right thing is often hardest, and this is definitely the right thing.

-Emotionally embrace the hard times

Inevitably, any city you move to will be accompanied with “I want to give up and get out of this place,” moments. Change is intimidating, but once change is accepted, change is appreciated. In order to deal with these crazy emotions that will seem to rush at you all at once, start embracing that you will feel this way at least some point in the process and understand you can make it through it. If you embrace the feeling beforehand, it won’t be unexpected when life leaves you feeling that way.

-Physically prepare to be your best self

There is nothing more attractive than a woman who knows what she wants and looks good doing it. I hate to sound shallow because I’m not the type of girl that uses looks to get where she wants to be; however, it can never help to reach your goals in style. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean having the perfect body or whitest smile, this means being the best you that you can be. Dress the best way you know how, spend that little extra money on the clothes that will give you confidence. Really own who you are and not just who you wish to be.

-Spiritually understand where you are

Personally, I find my strength through my faith in Jesus Christ, but that may not always be the case for everyone. Instead, I would suggest centering yourself and discovering where your strength comes from. There is not a feeling more uncomforting than not knowing where to find strength when all else fails. Understand where you find your hope, energy, and motivation. Discover what will guide you through the hard times and hold on to it harder than the reigns of a mechanical bull.

-Financially invest in your future

I’ve heard several stories about people moving to L.A. with $600 and a dream. While dreaming without borders is inspiring, it may not always be what is wisest. Los Angeles is one of the most expensive cities to live in the United States. Say you were to move there, I would suggest creating a monthly budget 6-12 months beforehand in order to save a certain amount each month. By the time you’re ready to make your big move,$4000 atabsolute minimum should be in your account so that at least your first month is covered since you’ll need to pay for rent, security deposit etc… along with all of your other bills. Now that goes for individuals with incomes in preparation. Before you make your big move, have a job lined up in your desired city. This provides financial security and eliminates a major cause of stress.

Hopefully I was able to share some of my wisdom with you that I’ve been implementing in my own life to prepare for my big move. Whether it be New York City in a freezing blizzard or Los Angeles with an endless amount of palm trees, I wish you the best in your endeavors. Who knows, maybe one day you can hit me up in Los Angeles and we can grab a cold pressed juice.

As an aspiring Director of Photography, Alexis McDonough is currently entering her third year of college at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts as a Production major. Born and raised in the outskirts of Miami, FL, Alexis has always shown a curiosity for telling original and untold stories. She currently resides in the city of Los Angeles, CA and in the mean time of receiving her degree, she takes pride in advancing in her cinematography and editing skills alongside developing her natural story telling abilities. Making the decision to pursue film as a lifestyle at the age of 15, Alexis has taken advantage of several outlets to advance in filmmaking. Among these are internships and job positions that allow her to creatively exude her ideas and passions. Alexis enjoys indulging in her favorite films, creative writing, and reading novels and self-developing leadership books. With a strong work ethic and passionate personality, Alexis looks forward to writing for Ms. In The Biz. She sees this opportunity as an outlet for creativity and looks forward to networking, new experiences and opportunities

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